The number of COVID-19 cases in Africa stood at 1,450,048 on Sunday as the continent’s health authorities remain confident that the virus is on a decline.
According to the latest data from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Africa has also registered 35,299 COVID-19-related deaths.
South Africa is the hardest-hit country on the continent, having recorded 669,498 infections and 16,376 fatalities.
Morocco has posted the second-highest caseload in Africa, with 115,241 infections and 2,041 deaths.
Egypt’s 102,736 cases are the third-highest on the continent. The North African country has also reported 5,869 fatalities.
No other country in Africa has recorded more than 100,000 COVID-19 infections.
In terms of fatalities, Algeria (1,711), Ethiopia (1,165), and Nigeria (1,106) are the only other countries besides South Africa, Morocco and Egypt to have registered more than 1,000 COVID-19-related deaths.
Earlier this week, the World Health Organization acknowledged the decline in the continent’s cases, but warned against complacency in the fight against the virus.
“The downward trend that we have seen in Africa over the past two months is undoubtedly a positive development and speaks to the robust and decisive public health measures taken by governments across the region,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa. “But we must not become complacent. Other regions of the world have experienced similar trends only to find that as social and public health measures are relaxed, cases start ramping up again.”
Dr Moeti also noted that the slow spread of the virus in Africa may see the virus stay longer on the continent.
She urged African countries to tailor their responses to their situations as each country is experiencing different patterns.
“The slower spread of infection in the region means we expect the pandemic to continue to smoulder for some time, with occasional flare-ups,” said Dr Moeti.
